C Fibers@WSe₂ Nanoplates Core-Shell Composite: Highly Efficient Solar-Driven Photocatalyst

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Tungsten diselenide (WSe2) shows promise for electronic and optoelectronic devices.
• WSe2's photocatalytic activity is limited by electron-hole recombination.
• Developing efficient photocatalysts is crucial for environmental remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel WSe2-based composite for enhanced photocatalysis.
• To investigate the photocatalytic performance of the composite for degrading organic dyes and harmful gases.
• To explore a scalable and eco-friendly synthesis method.

Main Methods:

• Facile, one-step thermal evaporation synthesis of WSe2 nanoplates on carbon fibers.
• Fabrication of a core-shell composite (NPCSC) with in situ grown WSe2.
• Solar-driven photocatalytic degradation experiments under simulated sunlight irradiation.

Main Results:

• The C fibers@WSe2 nanoplates core-shell composite (NPCSC) exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity.
• Reaction rate constants were improved by factors of approximately 15 (methylene blue), 9 (rhodamine B), and 3 (toluene) compared to WSe2 powder.
• The composite demonstrated high stability in degrading various organic dyes and gaseous pollutants.

Conclusions:

• The WSe2/carbon fiber composite effectively suppresses electron-hole recombination, boosting photocatalytic efficiency.
• The one-step synthesis method is scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.
• This composite holds great potential for solar-driven environmental remediation applications.